The Political Response to State Abuse of Power: Evidence from the NYPD

This study seeks to examine the relationship between the New York Police Department's abuse of power and the political response in local elections. I measure abuse of power in three ways: (1) stop and frisk, (2) reported... [ view full abstract ]

This study seeks to examine the relationship between the New York Police Department's abuse of power and the political response in local elections. I measure abuse of power in three ways: (1) stop and frisk, (2) reported police misconduct, and (3) reported police violence. I examine the effects of abuse of power on different political outcomes: (1) vote share for incumbent mayor, (2) vote share for incumbent city council district member, and (3) voter registration. This research seeks to provide analytical evidence of the political response of citizens to the police's misuse of power.